By Matt Klinkhammer
Justin Mueller loves hunting and doesn't want to work a job he's not passionate about. When he got the idea to start a hunting photography and videography business, he went all in.
“I could have bought cheap gear, but I like to spend money and instead, I got really nice gear,” said Mueller.
Fully committed to his vision, Mueller sold his car to buy a cheaper car, moved in with his parents to save money, and then moved to Ohio to work long hours in an internship with a video production company he knew couldn’t pay him.
“When you start your own thing, it’s just you doing it and your decisions impact how your business is run,” explains Mueller.
Mueller graduated from the Marketing Sales Management program in 2015 and credits the program with providing him with skills that are essential to running his business.
“The Marketing Sales Management degree definitely helped me. Being a photographer and videographer, networking is the number one thing for me because all my jobs come on a personal basis, so I have to sell myself to people in order to get work from them. I’m not directly selling a product to anyone, but I’m selling myself and I’m marketing myself.”
After losing over $16,000 his first year in business, Mueller’s commitment to his vision is paying off and he’s now finding success.
Last year, Mueller was on the road 200 days for work, which included a trip to his favorite destination: New Zealand. His photos and videos regularly appear in hunting TV shows, magazines, and social media, and he hasn’t needed to cave in to the pressure of making wedding videos to supplement his income.
Mueller still sleeps in his car to cut costs while traveling, but he’s doing what he loves, filming and photographing hunting excursions in beautiful locations.
